May 2016 Newsletter

Dear Guitar Friends,
There are a number of key events, calendar, and time changes coming up in the next few weeks, so please read on!

On Sunday June 5th at 3pm Corvallis Guitar Society is very excited to present our next major concert, “The Segovia Guitar with Tavi Jinariu”. Born in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, Tavi began playing guitar at age 5. His obvious passion and ability led to a scholarship in 1999 that made it possible for him to study with one of the world’s preeminent classical guitarist, Christopher Parkening, who in turn was the American protégé of maestro André Segovia. By the age of twenty-three Tavi completed a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on classical guitar performance under the tutelage of Christopher Parkening and John Nelson. While contemplating other guitars, Tavi finds himself returning over and over to his old Ramirez instruments for recordings and performances due to their mysterious and haunting sound quality. Ramirez was one of the guitars favoured by André Segovia and Tavi’s program will feature some of the significant repertoire of the great Maestro.

The concert will take place at the First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW 8th Street, Corvallis. Tickets are available from the following locations:

Grass Roots Books and Music, 227 SW 2nd St, Corvallis
Or online at: www.TheSegoviaGuitar.brownpapertickets.com

We are also excited to present our first Master Class which will take place under the tutelage of Tavi Janariu on Monday June 6th from 7pm to 9pm at Gracewinds Music during our usual first-Mondays monthly meeting. Please use the rear entrance stairway from the car park on 2nd Street. In this session four students will, in turn, perform a prepared piece for Tavi and he will provide feedback and offer advice on how to improve the performance of the piece from a technical and musical perspective. I have performed in, as well as attended, numerous Master Classes and have found them to be of tremendous value. Whether getting direct feedback on your own performance, or watching others receive feedback on theirs, the insights can be extremely helpful to one’s own playing. If you wish to play for Tavi in the Master Class, contact me, Jon Sharp [email protected] . Auditing is open to all for a $5:00 entry fee and is a wonderful opportunity to learn from a great Master of guitar.

Because the Master Class will take up the normal time slot for the Society meeting from 7pm to 9pm, we will begin the June 6th meeting ONE HOUR EARLIER than usual starting at 6pm. This will give us time to hold the open group ensemble session before the Master Class begins at 7pm. Details of the music that we will play in the group ensemble will be posted, as usual, to the Society website a week ahead of time. Please download the music and decide which parts you wish to play and bring a copy of the part(s) to the meeting. Scores of the music will also be available at the meeting.

Following the concert and the Master Class, there will be a ‘Meet and Greet’ on Tuesday June 7th at 7pm at Troubadour Music Center, 521 SW 2nd St Corvallis. This will be an opportunity to meet with Tavi, hear more about his music, his guitars and his musical experiences, ask questions and, if you desire, get your CD signed!

I would like to thank everyone who came to the Guitar Society meeting on May 2nd. We had a good turnout and, in particular, I want to thank everyone who came prepared for the open ensemble session which once again proved to be a lot of fun. Our featured artist Jamie Stillway from Portland was a wonderful guest who joined in with the ensemble session and then treated us to a lovely set of her own compositions including numerous, and sometimes accidental (EADGAD) tunings J. Her artistry and her humour made for a very entertaining evening – thank you very much Jamie!

Looking forward to July, because the first Monday falls on July 4th, the Board has decided NOT to hold a Guitar Society meeting in July. We hope you will enjoy the July 4th celebrations, and we will resume our regular monthly Society meetings on Monday August 1st from 7pm – 9pm as usual.

It is with great sorrow and regret to inform you that our friend and Board member Michael Fridley passed away on May 7th. Michael was a wonderful person to work with and contributed greatly to the Guitar Society since its inauguration last year. We miss him greatly and pass on our deepest sympathy and best wishes to his wife Victoria and son Daniel. There will be a musical celebration of Michael’s life on Saturday August 20th and I will provide more information about this event as details become available.

Here is a summary of the events coming up:

Sunday June 5th 3pm ‘The Segovia Guitar with Tavi Janariu’ First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW 8th St.

Monday June 6th 6pm Guitar Society Meeting Open Ensemble Session at Gracewinds Music.

Monday June 6th 7pm – 9pm Master Class with Tavi Janariu at Gracewinds Music.

Tuesday June 7th 7pm ‘Meet and Greet’ with Tavi Janariu at the Troubadour Center.

Monday July 4th Guitar Society Meeting cancelled; no Society meeting taking place in July.

Monday August 1st 7pm – 9pm Guitar Society Meeting, Gracewinds Music.

Saturday August 20th Musical Celebration of the life of Michael Fridley.

Thank you and Best Regards,

Jon Sharp
President, Corvallis Guitar Society